The newly reinstated Senior Scholars Authority of Egypt's Al-Azhar University has underlined the importance of a wise response to repeated attacks on Islam, its symbols and holy sites, giving the examples of desecrating and burning the Quran, attacking and demolishing mosques and finally insulting the Prophet Mohamed.

The authority, headed by Grand Imam Ahmed El-Tayeb, said that reactions should clarify Islamic facts and avoid blaming the innocent for the deeds of the guilty.

In a statement published Wednesday, the authority emphasised the importance that Muslims rationalise, be aware of and use an objective outlook when dealing with such problems, saying that falsifying the image of Islam and its figures is an old practice that came to prominence alongside the birth of Islam.

The Senior Scholars Authority called on Islamic academic institutions to study the phenomenon of aggression against Islam in order to determine its sources and the factors affecting it, and also the intellectual methods best used to quell such antagonism.

The authority recommended increasing efforts to reveal the truth about Islam through communicating with expat communities and Islamic centres in the West, especially those where attacks emanate from. It said it would form an initiative to this effect soon.

A film deemed offensive to the Prophet Mohamed sparked protests in Egypt and Libya Tuesday that left the US ambassador to Libya dead and saw the US flag burnt in front of the US Embassy in Cairo, Egypt.

The offending film was directed by Israeli-American film maker Sam Bacile who went into hiding following Tuesday's events.

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Karim

13-09-2012 11:16pm

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Shame

Shame on you Morsi for not condemning the violence and the Murder of the libyan ambassador. A bunch of salfist idiots killing an ambassador and you say nothing. And you think you are a good muslim? I thought until today that only the salafist are crazy.
Say buy buy to a strong prosperous egypt. What has the american administration to do with this movie you fools. So why has the american administration have to apologize in the first place?. America is not a dictatorship. Everybody is free to practice any religion as they wish or mock any religion.

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M V L

13-09-2012 04:12pm

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Laudable reaction

I can only commend the position of the Senior Scholars Authority of Egypt's Al-Azhar University. It shows intelligence and wisdom.
Personally I wonder why people react so violently and out of proportion when their religion is put in a false or wrong daylight. In doing so they give more energy to the negative act and reinforce it. Do not fight against what is perceived as evil but stand for good.

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Eldad

13-09-2012 01:53pm

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Please correct

"Sam Bacile" is a fictional and the director of the movie was not Israeli. Please correct the story.

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A woman

13-09-2012 12:35pm

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One of the reasons

All at Al Azhar should read the opinion article
"The dangers of coarse, heavy-handed preaching" on this website, publishes a few days ago. It shows very clearly one of the main reasons why people get so misguided and misinformed and run violent after this. And it it the duty of Al Azhar to change and to stop this. I cannot hear the hate preaches and the sound of the yelling and screaming voices of the "preachers" in all the mosques around anymore, I simply get sick of it. It sounds very often more than a war-declaration then an invitation to a peaceful religious and spiritual ritus or a peaceful religious preach. And people with very low education cannot even reflect on what they hear. They are not to blame. The ones who should know it better and for sure know it better (also at Al Azhar) are to blame. They must take a clear position to stop violence in the name of a religion and throw all this hate-preachers (who get even payed by the state for this "service"...) away.

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M V L

13-09-2012 11:18am

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Laudable reaction

I can only commend the position of the Senior Scholars Authority of Egypt's Al-Azhar University. It shows intelligence and wisdom.
Personally I wonder why people react so violently and out of proportion when their religion is put in a false or wrong daylight. In doing so they give more energy to the negative act and reinforce it. Do not fight against what is perceived as evil but stand for good.

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Ez-Eldeen

13-09-2012 10:46am

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Balance the Issue

I ask univ students to demo against violence in support of USA and its help to Arab Spring. US government has nothing to do with that movie/ The movie exposes tthe errorists who hijacked Islam.

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Sameera Ayoub, Assuit

13-09-2012 10:40am

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Thanks America

America helped the Arab Spring and establishing democracy. The movie exposes criminals who hijacked Islam. History and academic study prove Islam merciful, compassionate attributes. The Prphet (SAWS) was great legislator for hyuman rights and peace advocate.

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Jimmy

14-09-2012 02:29am

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Read before you sign

Have you watched the movie or commenting out of no where!! The movie insults the Prophet with very obcene and abusive terms and u calling it exposes those who hijacked islam? i beg to differ.

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Yasin, Tanata

13-09-2012 10:36am

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Merciful Islam

No muslim candemean or attack judism or Christianity. We are ordered to respect them; the People of the Book. The movie exposes radicals and criminals who pretend to be "Islamists"; but bunch of hard-core criminals. Allah Qabeer Ya Beni Misr Thansk America for helping Arab revolutions.

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Al Waleed

14-09-2012 02:32am

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Trying to fool who?

Are you out of your mind? Have you not watched the movie! The movie directly insults the Prophet . calls him ********** Words that i can't utter. direct verbal insults on Prophet... Prophet is the cornorstone of Islam.. and u are saying it is not against Muslims. You maybe a fool pretending to be Egyptian Youth! I suggest you watch the trailer on youtube. Egypt revolution was a popuar one,, nothing to do with America. American supported the dictator mbuarak for decades!!! We never forget.

no thanks

13-09-2012 01:46pm

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thanks ? are you crazy

Thanks???????? for what killing muslims in afghanistan and iraq and all over the place what's wrong with you people america supports isreahell to oppress muslims in palestine america supports all the puppet governments that oppressed you and muslims all over the middle east and beyond - Thanks??? you have a short memory or dead heart!

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Mona Abdel Aziz, Alex

13-09-2012 01:08am

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Not an Attack on Islam

It is attack on the radical who call themselves "Islmasits" who are actually: Drug dealers like Hamas & Hakkani, terrorists who kill innecent people, hateful people, power hungry, etc. We need to defend merciful Islam from those criminals who stole Islmic original message: Comapssion and Mercy to all humans.

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Ansari

13-09-2012 06:57am

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To Mona

Mona, Hamas is oppressed by your lovers Jews, who occupied the Palestinian lands. Hakkanis are freedom fighters who are kicking American invaders and occupiers under the influence of power. Very soon you Copts, Israelis, and Americans will be disappointed when the middle east and all Muslim countries will free from these occupiers.

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Omar

13-09-2012 12:58am

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True Movie

It was not attack on Islam or the prophet (SAWS). It expose the terrorists who claim to be "Islamists". We need to expose them too. Allah Kabeer. I am a good muslim and engineer and against the killing under the name of Islam. Where Prof. tantawi to defend Islam

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Hector M.

13-09-2012 07:02am

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To Omar

Omar, what happened to you, are you in deep sleep, You said It was not attack on Islam or the prophet.